Rev. Connie Yost, Guest Minister, with Melinda Lee, Worship Associate
“Acting on the Side of Love”
The Rev. Dr. William Barber calls our present moment a crisis of civilization. Amid political inaction, gutting of human rights, and valuing profits over people, how do we as a people of moral conscience respond?
Rev. Connie Yost is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. She currently serves as the President of the Board of Farm Worker Ministry Northwest, and serves on the board of the National Farm Worker Ministry. She is the founder and coordinator of Friends Stay Warm, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to supporting low-wage workers and immigrant detainees through cash assistance and advocacy. She serves on the Faith Labor Committee of Portland Jobs with Justice and is on the UUA Poor People’s Campaign Leadership Council. Connie also serves as a trained spiritual director, preacher, teacher, activist, and minister of rites of passage.
Please join us for Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m., which will be held outdoors at the First UU Society each week from July 30 through September 3. The service will also be live-streamed. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.
Summer Garden Childcare will be available in the Memorial Garden. Following the service, all are welcome to Outdoor Coffee Hour.
There will be chairs, but feel free to bring your own portable chair, or a blanket if you’d like to sit on the ground. While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.
In the event of inclement weather, Sunday services, childcare, and coffee hour will move indoors.
From the Immigration Justice Team
Mary Andrews & FUUSB Immigration Justice Team
Join your Immigration Justice Team (IJT) & the National Farm Worker Ministry for a Public Witness in Burlington
NFWM’s mission is to educate about farm worker issues, including lack of labor laws, safety, wage theft, racism, sexual harassment, child labor, exploitation and intimidation, and even slavery-like conditions. NFWM works through its farm worker partners to raise awareness and mobilize the faith community and others to action.
Rev. Yost is visiting for NFWM’s board meeting, which includes reports from NFWM partner Migrant Justice, whose Milk With Dignity Program aims to bring safety and justice to Vermont’s dairy workers.
The IJT invites you to participate in an action at a Burlington Hannaford store on Friday, July 28 in the late afternoon. Hannaford is profiting from labor abuses and human rights violations on dairy farms. Join us and show that workers and consumers are united in demanding Milk with Dignity! Please RSVP here if you can attend.
A Message from Rev. Karen
Just a few more days ‘til August 1st: my official first day as your new Senior Minister. It begins with a staff meeting, moving too many boxes of too many books into the Minister’s Office, and a tutorial on Realm (which is a completely new system to me).
Tony and I moved into our new home in Colchester last week. We are still busy emptying boxes and figuring out how things fit, as well as exploring locally. It has been a smooth transition so far.
I’m excited to see you all again and to meet (and re-meet) you. Please know that I welcome you reminding me of your name, even if we had a wonderful conversation during Candidating Week – it will be a kindness to me.
While I don’t yet know the fullness of my calendar, here are some things I do know:
In August, I will be at Sunday services, whether or not I am leading worship (which I am doing on August 20 & 27).
Fridays are my day off. I know it will be different than what you are most recently used to - it's also a change for me. So a bit of an experiment for all.
Mondays will be the day I focus on preparing worship & writing sermons – as such, I will only be available for emergencies.
More to come later, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m so looking forward to what lies ahead for us!
~ Rev. Karen
Help Rev. Karen Move into Her Office
A few volunteers are needed to help Rev. Karen move into her office on her first day at the Meeting House!
Please sign up here for a slot if you are able to help out on Tuesday, August 1. Thank you!
8:15-8:45 a.m. - Two people needed to help:
Unload about 25 boxes of books at the east entrance and move them up to Rev. Karen's office. We'll have a hand truck and use the ramp and elevator.
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. - Two people needed to help:
Empty books from boxes, place in shelves, and flatten boxes.
As of this week, the eNews now has a new Wednesday schedule! We have returned to our original Monday deadline to submit announcements, and the eNews will be published each Wednesday. Announcements (under 200 words) and images can be sent to [email protected]. Thank you!
Register for OWL in the Fall!
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
We are excited to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL) for youth in 8th and 9th grades starting in September. 1.5 hour classes will be held on Wednesday evenings through early April 2024. This program is open to the broader community, not just First UU, so please spread the word! Sign up with this link. For more information about lifespan OWL curricula follow this link. For more information about this program contact [email protected].
Contribute to the UU Disaster Relief Fund
From the New England Region UUA
In the wake of recent flooding in parts of Vermont, Massachusetts and upstate New York, we appeal to Unitarian Universalists to contribute to the UUA's Disaster Relief Fund. As evident in the photo, the UU Church of Montpelier, VT sustained considerable damage due to flooding in its basement. This has consequences not only for their building's structure and systems, but also for their ministries, including a food justice ministry which works out of the basement. Other congregations have also experienced impact.
The Disaster Relief Fund was created to support UU congregations and their communities when catastrophe hits. Over time, the fund has helped congregations and their communities after they have experienced wildfire, flood, hurricane, freezing and other disasters. With the increasing occurrence of severe weather and its impacts, the fund's resources are in continual need of replenishment. We urge you to consider making a donation if you are able.
